The theme for my columns is “A Better Kaua‘i” and I have tried to express in my viewpoints the concerns that the people of our island have about the government of our society and the steps that might be taken
The theme for my columns is “A Better Kaua‘i” and I have tried to express in my viewpoints the concerns that the people of our island have about the government of our society and the steps that might be taken to improve our way of life here. Today I would like to focus on a man who in recent years epitomizes the thoughts and efforts of an alert citizenry. He has not sought political office, rather he serves by being an observer and a commentator on our elected and appointed governmental officials and their actions.
Glenn Mickens is not a person one would anticipate would become a political activist. He is a former major league baseball player (Brooklyn Dodgers) and long-time coach of baseball at the University of California at Los Angeles. He loves the sport of baseball and looks forward each spring to the arrival of the season. He can tell you stories about the game for as long as you would want to listen to them. Glenn and his family came to Kaua‘i 18 years ago following his retirement. For the past dozen years or so he has been a regular attendee at meetings of the Kaua‘i County Council and he is frequently seen at meetings of other county commissions and boards. He has been characterized as a gadfly and a nit-picker but the quality of his testimony at public meetings belies the usual meaning of those terms.
Let us recount some of the matters that have had his attention. He was an early opponent of the proposed initial arrangement sought by Kauai Island Utility Cooperative to acquire the business of Kauai Electric. His efforts and those of his allies resulted in a transaction that reduced the price paid for the utility by over $80 million. It is awful to contemplate how much higher our bloated electric rates would be today had the original deal occurred. Recognizing the propensity of our county to spend taxpayer money and to raise the property taxes on our homeowners to finance this appetite, Glenn joined early the Ohana Kaua‘i efforts to control and limit property taxes payable by residents who owned and occupied their homes. The efforts by Glenn and his associates resulted in a Kauai County Charter Amendment that was adopted by a nearly two-thirds vote of our citizens. Unfortunately this relief measure was recently overturned by a split decision of the Hawaii Supreme Court with the majority being acidly criticized for subverting the law.
Glenn is quick to congratulate those who are faithfully performing their duties and incisive in his criticism of those who are not. Glenn has been an active supporter of enhancing the Vidinha Stadium so that it might be a better arena for his beloved baseball games. He was sharply critical of the waste of taxpayer funds by the expenditure of $5 million of taxpayer funds for a bridge across the Olohena ditch when an equally suitable structure could be installed for a minor fraction of that amount. He is concerned that the council is unwilling to address the major issues facing the county and has instead squandered its time and our money on the poorly planned Eastside bike path. He has offered scathing and effective testimony about the inadequacies in the explanations by county personnel about the cost, benefit and planning process for the path. He is concerned about the compliance of our government with the laws governing their conduct and the rampant increase in the number of occasions that the County Council has chosen to go into secret executive sessions to consider a variety of matters. He has presented to the Council two specific provisions of the law that would limit the use of the executive session availability but are being disregarded by the council. For over two months he has sought in vain from the council the justification the council believes warrants the use of the sessions where not permitted by these provisions, without any acceptable explanation from them.
People like Glenn Mickens are a rich resource. We critically need more citizens who will take the time and make the effort to work in the political process and to provide those we have elected or who are appointed to serve with the viewpoints of the public. It is not easy to endure the long hours of the council and other meetings and the sometimes frosty reception given to persons who seek to present their thoughts. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to those like Glenn who have persevered in this climate.
• Walter Lewis is a resident of Princeville and writes a bi-weekly column for The Garden Island.
